Community photo: ATU receives awardArkansas Tech University has received the Special Olympics of Arkansas School Spirit of the Year award for 2015. Receiving the honor on behalf of Arkansas Tech were (from left) Dr. MarTeze Hammonds, associate dean for diversity and inclusion; Emily Bradley, coordinator of leadership and service in the Office of Campus Life; Rhylie Gachot, resident director in the Office of Residence Life; and Sabrina Billey, area coordinator in the Office of R...

RSD hears LED light proposalThe Russellville School District’s Buildings and Ground Committee met Wednesday with a director and partner of Entegrity, a Conway company who proposed a project to replace the district’s lights with new LED lights that would save the district money in the long run. Entegrity is the second LED lighting company to propose projects for the district. The first company was Excel Energy Group of Russellville, and the final proposal will soon be hea...

Jury duty scamThere is currently a scam in Pope County concerning a man calling citizens about jury duty and demanding $1,500, according to a release from the Pope County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO). A man using the name James Marshall has allegedly called citizens and claimed to be a Pope County Deputy, badge number 731. According to a release, the man demanded the payment of $1,500 to avoid arrest for failing to report for jury duty. The release stated the ma...

Creating safe babysittersLocal teens learned about different projects they can do with children they babysit and how to properly change diapers for infants Tuesday during the annual Safe Sitter babysitting training offered through Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center. The Program trains on essential childcare activities such as CPR and nutrition along with the business aspect and how to be safe about finding child care jobs.

Retail Coach to come to townBY SEAN INGRAM sean@couriernews.com The Russellville City Council’s Finance Committee called a special meeting Wednesday and voted to invite a retail research company to give a presentation to the full council. Mayor Randy Horton said The Retail Coach is designed to bring retail businesses and customers to your town. “They tell you how to get the retail that fits you,” he said. The company conducts research and interviews over the course of a ...

Two Rivers millage failsAn increase of two mills that would have raised funds for new classrooms and offices at the elementary school, as well as paid for relocating football, softball and baseball facilities to the Two Rivers School District campus, was voted down by district residents 737-400 on Tuesday. “This is something our students deserve and need,” superintendent Jim Loyd said. “They deserve to have the same things other districts have. The Board and I will n...

Cyclone sculpture almost completeThe finishing touches are being added to a 16-foot-tall, 10-foot-wide Cyclone sculpture that will soon tower in front of Russellville High School’s Center for the Arts. Visitors to the 130,000-square-foot Center will now be greeted by a more than one-ton steel structure fashioned after the school’s mascot. The concrete footing has already been laid, and Public Works Director and City Engineer Kurt Jones said the target date to erect the sculpt...

Expressive artLocal youth, ages 6-12, began their first day of Art Camp at the River Valley Arts Center Monday morning. The young artists created relief sculptures and creative thought bubbles to express themselves.

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THE COURIER / Joshua MashonThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Community photo: Welding scholarshipsUnited Welding Institute Inc. recently presented Dakota James Caskey from Ashdown School district with a full-paid scholarship to United Welding Institute in the amount of $12,000 as winner of the High School Welding Competition. Dakota is the son of Sonia Caskey of Ashdown and James Caskey of Bradley.

Community photo: 4-H cooking workshopTen Pope County 4-H members participated in an Asian inspired cooking workshop at the Pope County Extension Office on June 30. The workshop was conducted by Pope County 4-H Leader Cindy Phonvilai. The group watched a demonstration on the authentic way to make sticky rice and each group made a sauce to eat with their rice. In addition to learning how to make sticky rice and eggrolls, the participants learned about kitchen and food safety, and w...

Weir Road ‘chatter’ back up againIn August 2008, Russellville was set to be the home of a new 400,000-square-foot shopping center. Bruce Burrow of the Jonesboro-based development firm MBC Holdings told the Russellville City Council that the “upscale” retail center would be constructed on 51 acres at Interstate 40 and Weir Road and would feature major department store anchors, restaurants, a 14-screen movie theater and 2,000 parking spaces. One month later, plans for the Shopp...

A harpist and his loveHarpin’ Hank Hogan loves the sonorous and idyllic sound his harp produces. He also loves his Irish heritage, as can be observed in his tunes à la olden limericks. But more than his music and origins, Hogan loves his wife, Norma. She was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2011. Since then, the couple has been the subject of a BBC radio show broadcast worldwide titled “Enduring Love.” An appropriate title, for the show, for th...

Health reports (July 3, 2015)Public health officials inspect restaurants for foodborne illness risk factors and good retail practices. The following items were listed on reports for Pope County restaurants inspected between July 1 and Thursday. Thursday Burger King, 1420 East Main Foodborne illness risk factors — Complied with all regulations at time of inspection. Good retail practices — Complied with all regulations at time of inspection. Long John Silvers, 916 N Arkans...

Alzheimer's Walk set for Aug. 29When Tara Dollar’s grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, she said she had no idea of the services made available throughout the state from nonprofit groups like Alzheimer’s Arkansas. Her grandfather recently died, but his life inspired her to start the Alzheimer’s Arkansas River Valley Walk, a localized branch of the statewide event to support both those with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. “Alzheimer’s can be equally as hard o...

Woman's wish for children coming trueBefore Johnson County resident Beatrice Johnson died in June 2008, her wish was to see her 160-acre tract of land, which for decades had fallen into disuse, transformed into a camp for kids, especially those who might come from low-income families. Johnson, who had no children herself, bequeathed her property, adjacent to State Highway 359 about 3.5 miles north of Interstate 40, to the MO-ARK Kiwanis District, a nonprofit civic group that supp...

Youth Academy graduatesPictured are graduates from this year’s Russellville Police Department Youth Academy. Local youth spent Monday through Wednesday getting an introduction into the emergency service field through first-hand experiences with local representatives from law enforcement, firefighting, paramedics, probation and parole, the judicial system and state park service.

Tropical Smoothie added to RussellvilleA Community Development representative said a Tropical Smoothie will be built on North Arkansas Avenue next to Goodyear, where a former Mediterranean eatery was located.

High performance awardDistrict 71 State Representative Ken Henderson (left) presented a check to Russellville Junior High School for high performance. The school performed in the top 20 percent based on academic achievement, academic growth and graduation rates. The Department of Education created the Arkansas School Recognition Program to provide funds for improving and maintaining student performance. Pictured with Henderson are (from left) assistant principal Sh...